Because I'm too lazy to type up every detail of every agent I've found and contacted so far, I'm going to stick to giving details of the appropriate ones at the appropriate time.
So...brief recap...
First agent attempt! Sent cover letter, synopsis and 3 chaps to Madeleine Buston at Darley Anderson, heard back from her less than 3 weeks later on the 13th august (friday 13th, no less!) Standard 'not right for us' rejection letter.
Second and third agent attempt! Sent off to Laura Cecil Children's Agency and Carolyn Whitaker at London Independent Books simultaneously.
Heard back from London Independent Books on the 10th Sept with a slightly more personal rejection letter, saying the chapters didn't 'click' with them (I'm nailing all these rejection slips to the wall above my bed, by the way, following in the steps of Stephen King. Thinking I'm gonna need a new nail eventually, or maybe a new wall
Slightly more promising news. Lily Lawes, assist to Laura Cecil (Diana Wynne Jones' agent - eee!!), who insists on approving work via synopsis and cover letter before she accepts your submission, emailed back on Aug 19th to ask for chapters of HADES. Yay! Pretty big step so soon, considering it apparently takes some writers years to even get an agent to look past their cover letter. Laura Cecil is actually reading my chapters. Even if she says no I'm happy to have got past the first hurdle. Still waiting for a response, expected by Oct 6th. If it's a rejection, on to Conville and Walsh I go
Next time I'll post details about how/why I'm choosing certain agents :)
Hades, Harusame, Poseidon and Axel // image by Saeki Annika
Wednesday, 29 September 2010
Woo! First post
So! The blog begins. If you have any questions about who the heck I am and why I'm posting, I shall post some brief stats (mostly since I have no clue how to use the profile section yet!)
What do I write? YA fantasy fiction. It's been Greek mythology so far (think Percy Jackson with gothic romance and Pratchett-esque style humour) but I intend to move on to sci-fi and fairytales in future works. I am at heart a fantasy writer.
How many books have I written? HADES and its sequel are complete, the third and last in the trilogy is in the process of a long re-draft, and The Immortal Zeus is edging toward completion. So 4 total.
How long have I been writing? I wrote often throughout childhood, but never seriously until 2 years ago. HADES was started in the summer of '08.
How long have I been trying to get an agent? For only a few months now. I have approached 3 so far; details coming later.
Am I doing it just for fun? No - this is my intended future career. Writing is as much fun for me as reading, but I also take the craft and the work involved in it seriously.
Biggest influences? Diana Wynne Jones, Terry Pratchett, J K Rowling, Tolkien. Stephen King is my god :)
And finally...why did I start this blog? As a handy journal of successes, failures, and notes along the long, winding road to (hopeful) success. And also because I had to as a class project. Haha.
What do I write? YA fantasy fiction. It's been Greek mythology so far (think Percy Jackson with gothic romance and Pratchett-esque style humour) but I intend to move on to sci-fi and fairytales in future works. I am at heart a fantasy writer.
How many books have I written? HADES and its sequel are complete, the third and last in the trilogy is in the process of a long re-draft, and The Immortal Zeus is edging toward completion. So 4 total.
How long have I been writing? I wrote often throughout childhood, but never seriously until 2 years ago. HADES was started in the summer of '08.
How long have I been trying to get an agent? For only a few months now. I have approached 3 so far; details coming later.
Am I doing it just for fun? No - this is my intended future career. Writing is as much fun for me as reading, but I also take the craft and the work involved in it seriously.
Biggest influences? Diana Wynne Jones, Terry Pratchett, J K Rowling, Tolkien. Stephen King is my god :)
And finally...why did I start this blog? As a handy journal of successes, failures, and notes along the long, winding road to (hopeful) success. And also because I had to as a class project. Haha.
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